


Work Experience

by inexorablydrawn



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, First Time, Modern AU, Secret Relationship, Tags to be added, Virgin Ben Solo, Virgin Rey, office relationships
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-26
Updated: 2020-03-26
Packaged: 2021-02-28 21:13:39
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,330
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23333671
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/inexorablydrawn/pseuds/inexorablydrawn
Summary: Rey and newly hired company director Ben Solo have started seeing each other in private, as not to cause a company-wide stir. Unfortunately, Rose Tico is very observant and isn't going to let Rey get away with not telling her all the details.And asks a lot of questions.--Reylo Short Story
Relationships: Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 3
Kudos: 47





	Work Experience

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!  
> This is just another short story in the meantime. I'm enjoying writing shorter length fics right now and I hope you enjoy! This will be a three-chapter fic.

Rey could see _her_ out of the corner of her eye. Rose was barreling through the cubicles of Resistance Tech like a woman on fire. She was gliding in her office chair, using the wheels to her advantage, soaring down the hall. Rey only hoped this excitement wasn’t directed towards her, but given the look Rose gave her as she walked into work this morning, Rey knew this was a false hope.

“Rey Jakson!” Rose yelped as she wheeled into Rey’s office. “We need to talk.”

“Rose Tico?” Rey would play along. Hoping this would be a quick and painless operation if she did. Hoping that all her concerns about what Rose had noticed this morning were for nothing. It was the lunch hour, and most of the office had left, but Rose still shut the door behind her and met Rey with a wicked smirk.

“How long have you been seeing Ben?”

_Fuck._

That was exactly the thing Rey didn’t want Rose to say.

“I see him at work every day,” she replied cooly, trying her best to look well-mannered even though she could feel the blush creeping up her neck. This was not going to end well.

“Come on Rey! I’m not going to tell anyone if that’s what you are worried about. I know what I saw!”

Rey racked her mind for exactly _what_ Rose saw. What excuses she could make to explain it all away as just a friendly gesture.

“He drove you to work.”

“My car broke down. He was just giving me a ride.” Rey began, piecing together a new version of the truth.

“Of all the people you could have asked, you asked Ben Solo? Your Boss? He lives across town. Finn and Poe live across the street. Heck, even I live closer!”

_Fuck._

“I was over in his part of town when my car broke down, I was trying to bring in donuts for the office as a thank you for finishing that last project by deadline!”

That could check out. Rey’s favorite bakery was near Ben’s. Even though how she would know that wasn’t as easily explained away.

“Alright—“ Rose said, drawing out the sound and Rey thought for a moment she’d been successful in deterring her friend's curiosity.

“So, this morning, when he was stroking your lower back while you were waiting for the elevator... that was just him being a creep? He could be fired for that.”

Rey’s blood went cold. She’d really hoped Rose hadn’t seen that. She thought they maybe had jumped apart quickly enough when the elevator opened up and they saw Rose was inside. Glaring.

“I was just looking out the window in the break room, drinking my coffee, when no one but Rey Jakson comes strutting out of Ben Solo’s car. She did a once over of the entire parking lot before Ben got out the driver’s side door. Needless to say, I wanted to congratulate you.”

“Congratulate me?” Rey said in surprise before realizing she should still be trying to deny Rose’s claims.

“You’ve been gawking at him for months. Ever since he got transferred here. One minute your upset that Leia went with an outside hire for her replacement over Poe and the next—“

“I have not been gawking. He’s my boss. Your’s too for that matter. You shouldn’t be talking about him like this.” Rey looked back to her computer and pretended to type something to look busy. “Besides everything you claim is totally absurd.”

“Wait— Do Finn and Poe know?” Rose said, her tone shifting slightly from excited to hurt.

“Did you tell them anything!?” Rey spun back towards her as her gut dropped. She knew Rose spent a lot of time with Finn and Poe outside of work, but she’d hoped she cared enough about Rey’s personal matters to not go gossiping behind her back. Especially with something as dangerous as dating her boss.

“No!” Rose said, crossing her arms in an X shape in front of her. “Of course not, I mean, there’s nothing to tell them right?” Her voice made it clear she didn’t believe that. “Come on Rey, I’m happy for you. I promise. He’s a bit of an ass but he’s cute.”

“It’s— not as big of a deal as you think—“ Rey said, hoping that was enough to satisfy her.

Rose pouted.

“So, it’s just sex?”

“ROSE!” Rey shouted before clapping her hands over her mouth to hush herself. “NO—“

“Rey, you are a modern woman. It’s fine.”

Rey’s face was as bright as fire as she scrambled to find words. “No! We haven’t—“ her mouth went dry, “It’s not like— no—we haven’t done… _that_.”

“Come on, Rey, there is only so much I’m going to believe!” Rose laughed as if this was a joke, but Rey wanted to throw up. She very much didn’t want to talk about this.

“We haven’t!!” Rey barked and Rose’s expression dropped. Rey wasn’t sure she’d ever been that cross with her before.

“Oh, I’m sorry, I believe you. I promise.” Rose said earnestly, “I was just poking fun. I was just excited that you are finally seeing someone after all this time.”

The office grew uncomfortable silent.

“We’re… taking things slow.”

“So you _are_ seeing him!” Rose’s grin returned slightly. Though Rey didn’t acknowledge the statement, she wondered if it would be nice for someone to know in the long run even if it didn't feel like it now.

“We’ve been hanging out and watching movies and stuff for about two months—“ Rey only realized now how immature she sounded as the words left her mouth.

“Two months!? And you haven’t had sex!?” Rose’s voice heightened again and she quickly mouthed ‘i’m sorry’ when Rey glared back.

“We’ve done… other stuff. “ Rey couldn’t believe that information came out of her mouth willingly. “I mean, he’s kinda my first—“ _Boyfriend? Maybe?_

Rose looked surprised.

It’s not that Rey didn’t eventually want to make that physical leap with him. Her body craved something more when they kissed and his hands caressed her bare skin. She wasn’t so naive that she didn’t know what her body was wanting.

But that didn’t change the fact she was inexperienced in that area. She hadn’t had sex in high school, she was too focused on getting a scholarship to college so she could leave her foster home for good. Then in college, she’d been so focused on graduating early so she could start earning her own money, she didn’t even think about dating. Now she was in her 20’s without ever having a proper boyfriend.

If Ben even was that. He kissed her goodnight and held her when she slept. He paid for dinners and ordered takeout on the nights they watched movies. But they’d never made the official proclamation.

Perhaps it was because Ben was the newly hired company director and going to human resources within the first three months of his employment asking to date his inferior was a bad look.

“Okay, well, what kinda _stuff_ have you been doing?”

Rey envied Rose sometimes, and her ability to talk so openly about these matters, but it was not like Rey. She wasn’t even sure how to talk about this stuff. She felt like telling anyone, even her friend, how she's being touched by another person was bizarrely inappropriate. “I don’t know, kissing and stuff.”

“Boring.” Rose groaned but didn’t push. “Well, I’m excited for you. He’s built like a redwood and has nice lips. I’m sure he’s good for all that _stuff_ when you get to it.”

Rey coughed, unsure if she could go redder.

“What? I’ve noticed!”

If Rey was honest, she knew part of the reason why they’d been taking things so slow physically was her own nerves about making the leap. But the other reason was Ben and his crippling embarrassment over one fact.

“Actually, he’s a virgin t—“ She stilled. She didn’t mean to say that out loud. She quickly turned to Rose who was wide-eyed and scrambled for a response. “I mean, we both are! So that’s why—shit—I didn’t mean to say that! I was thinking out loud! I didn’t mean to say that!”

For the first time since Rose entered her office, she was speechless.

“Oh my god. That was so stupid for me to say. Way too personal. I’m sorry.” The apology more for Ben than Rose, even though he wasn’t there.

“Well, that explains a lot,” Rose said, still a little stunned, “even though surprising. Isn’t he like thirty?”

Yes. Which is why he was so mortified when he admitted it.

Rey had accused him of lying when he’d first told her. She’d been upset with him over it. It was hard enough for her to admit that she wanted to take things slowly because she hadn’t done any of these things before. And she felt like he was mocking her when he admitted the same about himself.

_“I’m a grown man in my thirties and I’ve never had sex. Do you really think I’d ever want to admit that? I’m telling you because I’m afraid if we get to that point I’ll be horrible at it.”_

It was a point. Rey just found it hard to believe given how attracted she was to him. Some other girl must have felt the same way sometime in his life? She obviously didn’t mind his virginity, it was a surprise and a relief to know he wasn’t accustomed to girls being physically available right away. But she did wish he wasn’t so embarrassed about it.

Men had their own dangerous view of virginity, Rey knew this. For men, it was like a step into manhood to get rid of while they are young and wild. He said he feared being bad at it, but he was certainly not bad at the other things. Every minute she got to kiss him, sprawled out on his couch, tangled in him, she was truly lost in bliss.

Rey’s phone vibrated on her desk and a message from Ben lit up the screen. _‘I’m on my way back from Dex’s. I got you a burger and fries. Is that okay?’_

“Is that him? Rose said, thankfully changing the direction of the conversation.

Rey nodded and grabbed her phone for a quick response. _‘Yes, that’s perfect.’_

Rose spun idly in her chair as she waited for Rey to finish. She quickly dropped a purple heart emoji before pressing send.

“So—” Rose continued, “how did it happen? Who made the first move?”

“Ben’s on his way, we shouldn’t talk about this—“

“It was you, wasn’t it?” Rose said, ignoring her, that smirk returning with vigor.

She wasn’t wrong. It was. She and Ben had gotten into a fight that day. It was a stupid fight. They’d been butting heads a lot about their ideas of where the company should be going. He was still new to the office, so she didn’t like challenging him in front of others, so she always waited until she could meet him in his office. But Rey could maybe admit her need to spend time with him alone had to do more with her slight crush then the fact she didn't want to embarrass him in front of their coworkers.Though he was infuriating and stubborn and it took him way too long to realize she was right, he was also understanding and gentle when he spoke— and really tall.

Rey wasn’t sure how it exactly happened. It just did. She was sitting in his office, on his couch, telling him why acquiring such and such wouldn’t benefit Resistance Tech in the long run. Everyone else had gone home. He looked tired. His top shirt button was undone. He lounged back next to her with his feet propped up against his desk.

 _‘Are you even listening to me?’_ She had said at a certain point when he let his head roll back.

He pinched his brow. _‘Of course, I am’_

For some reason, that’s what broke her. She was so mad at herself for acting so foolish and smitten around him and he couldn’t even give her his full attention. He didn’t deserve her attention. He didn’t deserve any part of her broken heart.

At least that’s what she told herself right before she kissed him.

In the moment she’d convinced herself it was to get his attention. But then she backed away in horror when she’d realized what she’d done and was met with the same expression. She started to apologize, saying she didn't know where her head was at when he kissed her back.

A real kiss.

One that was soft and intentional and wanted.

She expected to panic, but rather, she sank against him. Thankful that this felt exactly how she imagined it.

When they finally pulled away, when the sounds of the janitorial staff coming into the office made them jump apart, Ben smiled. The most genuine expression she’d ever seen on him. _‘I’ve wanted to do that for so long’_

Back in her office with Rose, Rey was lost in thought as she replayed the memory. Blushing even thinking about it despite the result being quite pleasurable for her. There was a knock at the door and Ben peeked in, raising a cautious brown when he noticed Rose in the room as well.

Rose continued to smile knowingly.

“I’ll get out of your hair, Rey!” Rose said, pushing off with her feet to begin rolling her chair out the door. “Excuse me, _Mr. Solo_ ”

Ben let her pass as she scooted back to her cube.

“She never calls me Mr. Solo,” Ben said as he came into the office with a greasy bag of fast food. He set it on her desk as the door shut again.

“Rose knows,” Rey said, tearing at the bad, throwing fries into her mouth as quickly as possible as Ben’s eyes widened.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for your support! It's greatly appreciated.


End file.
